Rowaelin College AU
by stabby.stabby
Summary: As the title suggests, this is a Rowaelin College AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Quick author's note: This is my first ever story so feel free to leave ****me some feedback or ideas. Also, this first chapter isn't as exciting because I'm just laying out the basics so you understand the setting and characters. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Sarah J. Maas.**

Aelin Ashryver Galathynius was far from your regular 19 year old girl. In fact, you could almost say she was the exact opposite. And now, entering her first year at Adarlan University, she couldn't help but notice it more than ever. Aelin had never been a stressor, living life in the moment, unapologetically doing whatever the hell she wanted to, regardless of the consequences. But moving out was a big step, and between the college courses, job applications, and trying to figure out what she even wanted to do in life, it all seemed like it was too much to handle. Aelin had said as much to Lysandra, her best friend and roommate, who was currently curled up in her bed, sleeping like the dead. After all, it was 3am. Another thing, Aelin was most definitely a night owl.

Aelin was laying on her own bed, unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep. Sighing, she stood up and dressed in simple joggers and a hoodie. Slipping on sneakers and grabbing her phone from the table, she quietly slipped out of the room, not wanting to disturb her sleeping friend. Aelin walked down the hall towards the elevator, pulling her long hair up into a messy ponytail.

Jogging had always helped clear her mind, although it was a much simpler task back home in Terrasen, where she could easily sneak out of her window. Here, with dorms packed full of students, it was hard to get out without running into people, which made for awkward 3am conversations. Walking out of the elevator, Aelin breathed in the fresh air, relishing every bit of it. She pulled out her phone and earbuds, putting her playlist on shuffle, then began her jog. The playlist usually went on for about an hour, the perfect amount of time for a calming jog. The official college term and classes started in two days, giving her some time to get her sleeping schedule back on track before classes started.

Too immersed in the music to notice, Aelin suddenly ran right into someone.

"Watch where you're going," a gruff voice called from above her. Aelin looked up to see a tall silver-haired man, his pine colored eyes piercing right into her. He had a tattoo running from the left side of his face down to his currently balled fist.

"I could say the same to you," Aelin immediately retorted. The man just rolled his eyes, shoving past her to continue where he was going.

Rolling her own eyes, though no one could see, Aelin continued her jog, trying to shake the man from her mind. _He was quite handsome, _she thought to herself. _Although the personality was a real dealbreaker._ It was true. While many of his features were rather good-looking, the semi-permanent scowl he wore definitely ruined the look. He hadn't looked much older than herself either, maybe only by a year or two.

Cutting all thoughts about the mysterious stranger from her mind, Aelin headed back towards her building. She was about to walk inside when something caught her eye. It was a flyer, advertising for a gym just down the street, according to the address. She _had _been looking for a new gym ever since arriving in Adarlan. Aelin had trained in pit fighting and martial arts for several years alongside her cousin Aedion, so it was important to her that she kept up her skill and stayed in shape. She had been sad to leave Aedion, who had decided to stay in Terrasen to attend a local college, though she knew he would visit her frequently because of his girlfriend, who happened to be Lysandra. And yes, Aelin had originally set them up, but who could blame her?

Snapping a picture of the flyer, Aelin quickly dodged inside, avoiding the oncoming wind. Back up the elevator, and into her dorm room. She quietly opened the door and shut it behind her with a small click. Aelin only had time to set her phone back onto the table before sprawling onto her warm and comforting bed, immediately falling asleep, without even remembering to change first.

* * *

In the morning, Aelin woke up to the delicious smell of eggs and bacon. She sat up groggily finally noticing she was still wearing her sneakers from her jog last night. Groaning, she kicked them off and padded into the kitchen. She found Lysandra standing by the stove, making breakfast. Her beautiful dark-haired friend was still in her sleepwear.

"How much sleep did you get?" Lysandra asked, not even turning around to see the horrendous state her best friend was in. She already knew.

"Four hours," Aeline grumbled. "This one asshole even ran into me last night."

"What," Lysandra cracked an egg into the sizzling pan. "Like that hasn't happened before?" It was true. Aelin's late night jogs had often resulted in unwanted encounters. But the man from last night was quite unsettling. He didn't even apologize, and acted like it had been entirely her fault. Aelin said as much to Lysandra, earning her a sigh.

"Whatever," her best friend had started piling two plates with the bacon and eggs. "He's probably off on his miserable life now. Why do you care so much, anyways?" Aelin tried hard to keep the blush from blooming across her face. But her unusually long moment of silence was a hint enough. Especially for someone she'd known her whole life.

"Was this stranger, say," Lysandra the two plates down on their little table, motioning for Aelin to sit down. "Handsome or charming?" Aelin rolled her eyes, but her choice of scarfing down the food instead of answering gave Lysandra the answer she wanted. Indeed, her best friend shot her a smirk from across the table.

"Who knows," she stated. "You might just run into him again."

"That asshole?" Aelin defended. "No, I think I'm fine."

"Whatever you say," Lysandra sing-songed. She smirked again when Aelin growled.

"I'm gonna head out," Aelin said, bringing her finished plate to the sink. "Thanks for breakfast and _no thanks _for the conversation." She could hear her best friend's chuckle as she slipped on the sneakers again and made her way out of their dorm. Pulling out the photo she had taken the previous night, Aelin set off to find herself a new gym.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay its chap 2 :) Again, reviews are appreciated. **

**Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Sarah J. Maas**

Rowan Whitethorn was a tall, intimidating man. With his harsh stare and wicked tattoo, almost everyone tensed at the sight if him. He also knew that he had pretty good looks, although unlike other men, he constantly tried to play them down to avoid petty women asking him out or being too clingy. A perfect example would be right now. Rowan, clad in sweatpants and a plain black tshirt was walking efficiently towards "Rifthold", the gym that he and his buddy Fenrys owned. Quickly stepping through the door, Rowan walked up to the front desk where Fen was already stationed.

"You're late," Fen called, looking up from the computer.

"Slept late last night," Rowan responded, coming around to where Fen sat. "I had a few errands to run."

"Whatever you say." At his friend's dismissing tone, Rowan started heading towards one of the workout rooms. Running a gym with a friend did have its perks. The two had a schedule that they had kept to for the past year since opening. Rowan had Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to do his workouts while Fen did the paperwork, registering new members, contacting equipment companies, etc. Meanwhile, Fen got Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for his workouts, with Rowan handling the company business. They had come to a mutual agreement to not open on Sundays so they had the chance to do their own things.

And since today was a Wednesday, that meant it was Rowan's day to train and do his own workouts. He was about to walk over to his usual room when he noticed that it was already occupied.

"Hey man," Fen raised his eyebrows to the question. "Who's that?" He jerked his chin towards the transparent window of his usual room where you could see someone's back turned towards them, punching a dummy. Female, Rowan could tell by the figure. Fen shuffled through a few papers before settling on the right one and handing it to Rowan.

"Name's Aelin apparently," he supplied. "Just registered this morning." She had probably come in the momen the doors were open. After all, Rowan had only been 10 minutes late, and he hadn't seen her on his way there. The two men watched as this "Aelin" girl threw a few strong punches towards the dummie's abdomen.

"Damn, she's good," Fen murmured. "I'd pay good money to see her fight _you_." Rowan was about to agree when se delivered a roundhouse kick, reveaing her face. Rowan knew he'd seen it before. Actually, only a few hours ago. He remembered sneering down at her face when they'd ran into each other.

"Just because she's good," Rowan said through gritted teeth. "Doesn't mean she's the best." His legs started carrying him towards the room before he could stop himslef. He could hear Fen telling him to stop, but he'd already tuned his friend out.

* * *

"What do you think you're doing in here?" Rowan growled as soon as he'd flung open the door. The "Aelin" girl spun around swiftly. She looked him up and down, probably realizing he was the person from last night.

"Working out," She said, crossing her arms. "Are you stalking me or something?" She added after a second. The audacity that this girl had.

"What, no," Rowan replied, crossig his arms too. "I happen to own this gym, and you're in my room." His face shifted into one of his infamous scowls.

"Last I checked," Aelin drawled. "This was a public room."

"Do you not understand what I'm saying?" Rowan spat. "I could kick you out right now if I wanted to, and I very much do." To his surprise, the girl just rolled her eyes before smirking. So she had an attitude.

"I don't think Fenrys over there would appreciate that very much," she cooed. Indeed, when he turned towards the front desk, he saw Fen was staring at the girl with a certain want in his eyes. Rowan wasn't blind. He knew that this girl was quite striking. With beautiful gold-rimmed turquoise eyes and long golden hair, not to mention the nice figure too, he wasn't surprised that Fen, the womanizer, was intrigued. Rowan turned back to Aelin and glared, earning him a grin in response.

"And yes," she continued. "I did notice you two staring at my ass earlier." To make her point, she proceeded to flip off Fen, setting him scrambling back to work. Rowan would have laughed at the sight if she wasn't pissing him off so much.

"Well I'm not going anywhere," Aelin said, already turning back to the dummy. "So if you want this room so bad, I guess we'll have to share." Rowan scowled but walked over to the benchpress anyways. He wasn't letting her get under his skin so easily.

So they continued on their own workouts. Rowan doing some weights and benchpresses, while Aelin beat up the poor dummy. And although he made sure no one could tell, Rowan watched her every move. She was even more skilled up close. He wondered where she'd learned to fight like that.

Before long, Rowan noticed that his usual two hours of training was done. He wiped off the sweat using a towel and pulled on his shirt which he'd taken off at some point. As he was walking out the door, Aelin call out.

"Wait up," she had also gathered her items and was walking towards him. Rowan raised his eyebrows in silent question.

"Why were you so pissed last night?" Her brows furrowed like she was thinking. "It wasn't even that bad, we just ran into each other." He wasn't going to tell her the truth. No, they were still practically strangers. She didn't need to know all of his personal information.

"Oh great, she's nosy too," Rowan chose to respond with. "It's none of your business. I was just in a bad mood and you managed to get me in an even worse one." He made to turn away again, but she spoke again.

"Can I at least get a name?" She asked. "I'm assuming you already know mine, so it's only fair." Rowan debated whether or not he should say. But from the looks of it, she wasn't leaving anytime soon, so why bother keeping it from her?

"Rowan Whitethorn." She smirked at that.

"Well, _Whitethorn_," Aelin drawled. "We'll be having so much fun together." Then, she, walking out the door, promtly tossed her own towel in his face with a grin.

_Oh yes, we will._


	3. Chapter 3

Back** againnn. Supposed to be doing math hw, but instead am writing this xd. Thx Emily2825 for the review :) Other reviews or ideas welcome too.**

**Disclaimer: All characters owned by Sarah J. Maas**

Aelin was having a shitty day. There was nothing else that could describe it. She had woken up to a text from Lysandra saying she had a few errands to run. Mornings without her best friend were always insufferable. Main reason being Lysandra was a much better cook than Aelin herself. While Aelin was a night owl, her best friend was definitely a morning person. Who the hell woke up _naturally_ at 6am? Lysandra did.

So the morning had started out bad, big deal. But it got worse. Aelin had completely forgotten that her first classes of the semester started today. She had woken in a frenzy, checking her schedule for the times. She only had one class today. Phew. The relief was much short-lived as soon as she realized that it began in 10 minutes. The building her class was located at was a seven minute walk. Five if she ran.

Aelin hurriedly dressed in a hoodie and jeans, shoving her feet into her sneakers. She snatched her phone, keys, and wallet off the table, pocketing them. Flying out the door, she opted for the stairs instead of the elevator when she saw the crowd gathered in front of it. As soon as she was out of the building, she sprinted off. She turned a corner, barely dodging a surprised pedestrian, and was immediately halted by a motorcycle stopping in front of her. Aelin was about to go around when she noticed the silver hair under the helmet, caught in the wind. _Whitethorn_.

"Galathynius," he called. "We meet again." She was in too much of a hurry to come up with a sarcastic comeback.

"Can't talk," she blurted. "Running late." Before she could run off again, Rowan cut her off.

"Where to?"

"B14," Aelin recited. "Fenharrow building."

"You've got to be shittin' me," Rowan muttered. A short pause, then with a jerk of his chin towards the motorcycle: "Get on, _classmate_." Aelin didn't protest, didn't even have the time to think about the uncanny coincidence, just quickly climbed up behind Rowan.

"Here," he said sternly, unclipping and handing her the helmet he had been wearing. "Put it on. Safety precautions and all that shit."

"Ever the gentleman," Aelin muttered back, even as she slipped it on. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine, ridden this baby a thousand times," he replied, revving the engine as if to make a point. "Just hold on tight." Aelin wrapped her arms around his stomach tightly, meeting solid muscle. She could feel a blush creeping onto her face as her mind took her to the previous day when he had taken off his shirt during their workout. She would never admit it to anyone, but the asshole almost had her drooling. She was shaken from her thoughts as they shot forward and she remembered they were competing against time itself. The wind blew Rowan's scent back towards Aelin as they gained speed. Not that she minded, in fact, she seemed to want to inhale more of the subtle uet comforting pine and snow scent.

When Rowan pulled them to a sudden halt, tires screeching. She immediately unwound her arms and slid off the motorcycle, unbuckling the helmet too. Rowan turned off the engine, setting it in park before taking the helmet from her and setting it on the seat. The two of them ran like hell for the classroom, neither wanting to make a bad impression on the first day.

Aelin didn't know why, but she found herself grinning as she thought about what the two of them must have looked like, sprinting like maniacs. Rowan, seeing her expression, gave a smirk in return. They bolted to the B14 lecture room, pausing only a second to smooth down and fix their appearances before Rowan pulled open the door, motioning for Aelin to step in. She obliged, feeling her cheeks heat from his "gentlemanly manner". _Get a hold of yourself, _she thought to herself. _It's just a freaking door._

Thank god no one paid them much attention as they sat in two empty seats towards the back of the room. Next to each other. Aelin had debated moving to another seat far, far away from Rowan. But one glance around the room told her the nearest unoccupied seat was at least two aisles down, and she didn't want to attract more attention than necessary. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rowan surveying the room too, as if thinking the same thing. Aelin dared a glance at him as they reluctantly sat down. He looked the same as yesterday, tousled silver hair, muscular abs and biceps seem through his tight tshirt, taunting green eyes—that were staring directly at her. Shit. He'd caught her staring.

"See something you like?" He smirked through his whispered question. Aelin rolled her eyes.

"You wish," she muttered back. Rowan gave a lazy smile, then turned his attention back to the professor.

"—focusing on analyzation," he was saying. "So you'll be completing a partner or group project. No less than two and no more than four students to a group." Many groaned at the prospect of having to do a group project.

"You'll be given two weeks to meet up and get to know each other," he went on. "Then you'll write an analysis paper on what you've learned. Their personality, their interests and hobbies, etc." Apparently, the rest of the period was given for them to find their people, exchange numbers, and maybe even get a little bit of the work done.

Aelin and Rowan sat in silence as they watched everyone else around them bustling around, finding partners and exchanging contact info. She heard him heave a sigh before speaking.

"So I guess it's you and me, huh?" They both knew the answer, though she still turned her head to look at him and answer.

"I guess so."


	4. Chapter 4

**back at it again *finger guns*. thx kaelster18 for the review, i'll try to make future chapters longer, but no promises xd. also feel free to let me know if there are any characters u guys wanted me to add in, or just ideas in general.**

**Disclaimer: all characters owned by Sarah J. Maas**

_It's not that big of a deal, _Rowan thought to himself. _It's just a study session... That feels suspiciously like a date. _He ran his hands through his wild hair, peering at his reflection in the mirror one last time. Rowan had opted for a simple fitted gray sweater and dark wash jeans. Casual yet put together.

_Ding! _Rowan flipped over his phone from where he'd left it on the table. He had a new text message that read:

_Galathynius: __ive been waiting for u for 10 min, hurry tf up_

Rowan rolled his eyes, quickly sending a text back:

_omw _

He slipped his phone and wallet into his pocket then fished his keys off the table. Hurridly walking out the door and building, Rowan immediately spotted his jet black motorcycle. The sleek ride had been a treat to himself two years ago for his birthday. He threw one leg over the seat, grabbing the handlebars. In no time, he was zooming down the street, repeating the same things in his head over and over again. _Act natural, act cool. Act natural, act cool. Act natutal, act cool._

Coming to a halt in front of the freshmen dorm rooms. He dug out his phone and sent a quick text:

_im here_

A second later, he saw Aelin jogging down the stairs, heading towards him, scowling.

"You're late," she scolded, even as she failed to hide her laugh.

"Only by a minute," he mumbled. "Fine. 10, but we don't talk about that." She didn't bother hiding her laugh this time.

"You're off the hook this time," she stated, climbing on behind him. "No helmets today?" Rowan grinned.

"Wasn't planning on it, unless you're scared."

"Not a chance in hell," she had already wrapped her arms around his abdomen, a warming comfort in the chilly breeze. "You'll find that I like living dangerously."

* * *

They'd made it inside the library just as the rain started pouring outside. Rowan finally was able to see Aelin fully now. She wore blue jeans and one oversized red sweater. Also casual yet put together. A part of Rowan's mind panicked less now that he knew Aelin probably also didn't know if this was a "date" or not. It could've been a "friend date", people had those, right? They still acted like they hated each other, although now it was more in a teasing way. He was pulled out of his thoughts by an insistent tug on his arm.

"C'mon," Aelin dragged him over to a table. "Let's get this over with." They sat down across from each other at one of the tables. The library was mostly empty.

"So..." Rowan started. She raised her eyebrows at him. If he was being honest, she looked cute like that. She could see why one of the college students was checking her out as they walked in. One look from Rowan had him scrambling somewhere else. Rowan had had an urging overprotectiveness that washed over him everytime Aelin was around. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get rid of it. It was stupid, really. They'd only known each other for what, two days, and he was already playing the role of bodyguard. Rowan wanted to slap himself.

"Hey," Aelin snapped her fingers. "Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Going off into your own little dream land," she crossed her arms, even as a smirk graced her lips. "Am I not entertaining enough for you?"

"Oh, plenty," he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. She rolled her eyes, something they both seemed to do around the other more times than not.

"Anyways," her tone turned more serious. "The analysis project."

"So what? We just become friends or whatever?"

"Basically," Aelin sighed, blowing away a strand of hajr that had fallen in her face. Another cute thing she did. _No, _Rowan scolded himself. _Not cute. She's annoying, she's just here so you can get your damn project done._

_"_Oh I know!" She perked up. "We can play 20 questions. You first." Rowan pondered for a bit.

"You have any siblings?" He started off easy.

"No, I have a cousin though, he's basically my older brother. I also have a best friend who's like a sister to me," Aelin grinned. "I try not to think about it like that though, 'cause they're dating."

"Ok," Rowan smirked. "I didn't ask for every damn person that you know."

"Buzzard," she grumbled, then: "How old are you?"

"20," he answered. "In sophmore year."

"An oldie, huh?" Aelin teased. He rolled his eyes. It was only a year difference.

"Where'd you learn to fight?" It was a question Rowan actually _did_ want to know the answer to. The skill she'd shown the other day didn't go unnoticed.

"I've been training with my cousin Aedion since we were young," she replied. "My turn. What were you mad about that first night we ran into each other?"

"You really want to know, don't you?" Aelin nodded vigorously. He rolled his eyes. "I—I broke things off with my girlfriend, or I guess, ex-girlfriend." She turned serious at that.

"Did it go badly?" Aelin asked quietly.

"Not badly," he answered with a bitter tone. "But we aren't exactly the best of friends at the moment." Rowan had no idea why he was telling her all of this. No one, not even Fen knew about the breakup yet. Maybe it was just the heat of the moment that made him so compliant to answering her question.

"Anyways," Rowan tried to lighten the mood again. "Where're you from?"

"Terrasen. When'd you get your tattoo?"

"18th birthday," he grinned at the memory. "Along with the motorcycle." Aelin let out a low whistle.

"Damn, you rich or somethin'?"

"I wish," Rowan scoffed. "Just wasn't great with financial decisions at the time." She snorted. They went on for the next two hours asking each other questions about each other and just idling chatting. Rowan hadn't realized that so much time had passed until Aelin's phone started ringing. Rowan peered at her phone screen, the caller id _"Main_ _Bitch_" blinking on and off. He let out a small chuckle and raised his eyebrows in question as she held the device up to her ear.

"Lysandra," she mouthed. Rowan racked through his brain, finally remembering Lysandra. Aelin's best friend and roomate or whatever.

"—at the library," she was saying. "No, it's not a _date." _Her cheeks flushed at that, as if she forgot Rowan was sitting right in front of her. She turned more red when he gave her a smirk. So it wasn't a date then. A small part of Rowan deflated at that, even as he teased her with his suggestive facial expressions.

"Yeah, ok," Aelin continued. "See ya." If it was even possible, she got even redder before hastily hanging up. Probably from something her friend had said.

"You need me to take you back?" Rowan asked, already knowing the answer.

"I guess," Aelin sighed. The two of them stood up to leave. Rowan hadn't noticed it was pouring outside until he'd heard Aelin's yelp of surprise when she took a step and was nearly drenched.

"What," he grinned at her. "You scared of a little rain?" Her face twisted into a scowl.

"I like this sweater," Aelin tugged at one of the long sleeves that ran past her arms.

"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Rowan muttered. "This is so cliché." He handed her his jacket, stepping into the rain and getting soaked himself.

"Aw," Aelin cooed, drapping his way-too-big jacket over her own body. "So you _can _be a gentleman." She patted his bicep, ignoring the annoyance plastered across his face. They got on his motorcycle, Aelin's body flush against his, sending shivers down Rowan's spine. He hated this feeling he got every time he was around her. He sped to the freshmen dorm building, Aelin whooping with laughter every time he ran over a puddle, water splashing everywhere. By the time they'd arrived, the rain had dialed down to a light sprinkle.

"I trust you'll be at the gym tomorrow?" Aelin hefted herself over the vehicle.

"Unfortunately so," Rowan stated, earning him a light punch to the shoulder. He let out a laugh.

"Think about it," she went on. "I'll see you practically everyday. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at the gym and Tuesdays, Thursdays for class."

"Your point?"

"You're stuck with me for a while," Aelin shrugged. "Might as well not hate each other, right?"

"Alright," Rowan concurred. "We'll see what happens." She let out a genuine smile at that. He'd be lying if he didn't admit she looked breath-taking with happiness written all over her face.

"And Rowan?" Aelin asked again, this time more quiet.

"Hm?"

"Thanks for the ride." She leaned over and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. Rowan's face was probably burning as much as her's was. Aelin turned away before either of them could say anything else, which he was grateful for. He didn't know how he'd react in front of her. After seeing her retreating figure rush up back up the stairs, Rowan sped away again, back to his own apartment.

He could still feel the gentle brush of her lips even as he laid in bed and fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**ayeee, we back boiiis xd. i've been busy with hw and other crap so i haven't really had the time to write anything lately. don't really have a posting schedule either so i guess the only option left is to cram all this writing in at 12:54 am :) anyways, thx SardothienLiza for the review, they're always appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: All characters owned by Sarah J. Maas**

The moment Aelin had shoved herself through her dorm door and spotted Lysandra perched on the windowsill, she'd known her best friend had witnessed the entire encounter with Rowan. Aelin inwardly groaned. _Here comes the questions._

Sure enough, Lysandra had a smirk plastered across her face.

"So," she drawled, innocently. "Was that _him_?"

"Who?" Aelin tried to play dumb, thoug she knew Lysandra could see right through it.

"Cut the crap," her best friend rolled her eyes, hopping off the windowsill and padding over to sit by Aelin on her bed. Aelin, finally able to contain her raging blush, glared at her friend.

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "_Yes_, that was Rowan."

"Figures," Lysandra said, squeezing Aelin's shoulders. "He's as hot as you said."

"I didn't say—" Aelin stammered, then the realization hit her. What she was still wearing. "Oh, shit." Lysandra's eyes trailed down to where Aelin had shrugged off Rowan's huge jacket, seemingly putting two and two together.

"Oh. My. God." Lysandra's face had shifted into an expression of shock and extreme glee at the same time. "You kissed him on the cheek _and _kept his jacket?"and

"I didn't know, I forgot I even had it, I swear," Aelin stuttered her earlier blush returning.

"Whatever you say," Lysandra stated in a tone that implied it was _not _everything Aelin said. "You should get to bed, though. Wouldn't want you up all night thinking of a certain _someone._" Aelin refrained from punching her friend, and instead chucked a pillow in Lysandra's direction.

* * *

Aelin once again awoke to the smell of Lysandra's amazing cooking. Aelin sniffed avocado and eggs toast. Her mouth watered at the thought. Quickly dressing in sweatpants and a black sportsbra, Aelin practically sprinted to the kitchen table, just as Lysandra was setting down glasses of lemonade next to their toasts. Aelin immediately began shoveling the food in her mouth, savoring the wonderful flavors.

"Someone's in a hurry," Lysandra noted, having only eaten a few bites. Aelin had devoured over half of her plate. "Maybe in a hurry to meet a certain tall, handsome, silver-haired man?" Aelin glared at her friend over her raised glass of lemonade, on its way to her mouth.

"You _are _dating my cousin, you know?" Aelin raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Well if he doesn't get his sorry ass over here soon, there are lots of other hot guys on campus," Lysandra muttered, then with a sigh: "I just really miss him." Aelin nodded her head in agreement.

"I'll get him to visit soon," Aelin smirked. "And if he doesn't I'll kick his ass the next time I see him." She scarfed down the remainder of her breakfast, then dumped the dishes in the sink for later. She swiped the usual phone, keys, and wallet, then yanked on her sneakers. Aelin headed for the door, but not before retrieving Rowan's jacket.

"Have fun," Lysandra purred, a mischievious glint in her eyes. Aelin only had time to roll her eyes before slipping out the door.

* * *

"8:07," Rowan Whitethorn's now-familiar voice called out. "Seven minutes late, Galathynius." Aelin could feel heat rising up to her face just at the thought of him. Forcing the blush down, she finally had the courage to look up. Rowan was dressed in a gray muscle tank, which did wonders for his biceps, and black sweatpants that hung low on his hips. Aelin didn't even give herself the chance to be tempted to look down there.

"What," she tried for her usual arrogance. "Miss me already?" Rowan rolled his eyes.

"In your dreams," he countered, then added with a smirk: "Liking the jacket by the way." Aelin looked down at herself and flushed. She had put on his jacket after walking out of the dorm room because she hadn't anticipated the chilly weather. Rowan walked towards their "shared" room, not even giving her a second glance. She trailed after him

"It was cold out," Aelin muttered, slipping off the huge jacket and setting it on a bench with her other belongings.

Aelin decided to run a few miles on the treadmill, while Rowan headed for the punching bag. They did their respective training for an hour before Rowan spoke.

"You wanna spar?" He asked.

"Sure," Aelin panted, slowing her run to a jog, then walk. "Just be ready to get your ass handed to you."

"We'll see about that."

The two of them came around to the center of the room, both in fighting stances. Then they were at it. Rowan shot forward, faster then any opponent Aelin had ever sparred with. Even Aedion. She dodged the blow, although just barely. She shot back, finding empty air as Rowan'd already twisted aside. Damn him.

"Having difficulties?" He taunted. She glared, punching again. She hit his muscled stomach this time, though not before he'd caught her arm. Aelin kicked out, surprising him enough that his grip loosened.

"I could ask you the same." Then before she knew it, Rowan had kicked out for her legs. Aelin could feel herself toppling back, so had no other choice than to drag Rowan by his shirt down with her. The landed with Rowan sprawled across the floor, Aelin lying on top of him, hand still fisted in his shirt. Aelin flushed at their position, faces mere inches away from each other. She stared into those pine green eyes for a few seconds before coughing and peeling herself off of him. Rowan got to his feet too, just as Fenrys burst into the room.

"Rowan," his tone was urgent. "She's here. Right now. I can stall, but not for long." Panic washed over Rowan's face as Fenrys disappeared again, no doubt to stall this "she".

"Who is—" Aelin didn't even get her question out before a bruenette flung open the door, shrieking: "Rowan!" She quickly swept up to Rowan, attempting to give him a hug.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Rowan managed to get out amidst all of the brunette's fussing. Aelin stood there, watching, feeling like she shouldn't have been there.

"Well I stopped by," the brunette was saying. "Because I heard you were going to Sellene's party."

"Yes," Rowan grumbled, no doubt upset about having to go to this party.

"Oh, perfect!" The brunette squealed, throwing her arms around Rowan once more. "I'm going too, and, well—you know, I was wondering if you wanted to go as my date?" She batted her eyelashes. A party, with this girl as his date? Aelin definetly felt uncomfortable.

"I would, but—" Rowan seemed to panic, trying to think of an excuse, most likely. "But I already have a date."

"_What?_" the petty brunette shrieked through gritted teeth. "Who is it?" Aelin found those pine green eyes on her from across the room. _Please, _he seemed to say. Cursing herself, Aelin spoke up.

"It's me." The brunette whirled around at that, probably having only noticed Aelin for the first time. Rowan's eyes conveyed gratitude at her covering for him.

"Who are _you_?" The girl practically spat. "I've never seen you before." Aelin hated the girl more and more every second.

"Remelle, this is Aelin." Thank god Rowan stepped in. If not, Aelin just might have punched out the brat's perfect teeth.

"_Aelin,_" This Remelle drawled, glaring daggers. She reached out a manicured hand as if for a handshake. "How nice to meet you."

"Remelle," Aelin shook it with her own calloused one, not backing down. "Pleasure's all mine." Rowan coughed.

"Well," Remelle purred. "I'll be going now. But I trust that I'll see you at the party?" She looked pointedly at Rowan, slowly dragging one of her delicate fingers down his chest. She tossed Aelin a devious smile over her shoulder. Aelin hated this girl. Was _jealous _of Remelle and hated herself for it. She and Rowan didn't have anything between them, she shouldn't have felt like this towards Remelle. And yes, it did give her satisfaction to see the shock on Remelle's face when she learned Rowan already had a date.

"Who the hell was that?" Aelin questioned the moment Remelle had flounced away.

"Remelle's my... ex of sorts, I guess you could say." Rowan had turned around to pack up, so she couldn't see his face. "In my defense, she wasn't that bitchy when we first met. We were also never really a thing, she just thought, and I suppose, _still_ thinks so."

"I see," Aelin gathered her belongings too. "And this party that I'm now supposedly attending?"

"It's my cousin Sellene's," Rowan voiced. "Mostly only sophmores, jumiors, and seniors, but you can be an exception." He grinned at that.

"No teasing," she scolded, even as she grinned back. "I'm doing you a favor."

"Just be ready Saturday, I'll pick you up at 7pm." Aelin's heart pounded. What was she doing? An actual date with Rowan Whitethorn. Sure, it was only to get rid of Remelle, but it was still a date, right? What had Aelin gotten herself into? The two of them walked towards the double doors, finished with their workout.

"Here, your jacket," Aelin held it out towards him. But he didn't take it, only grinned as he pushed open the door, about to leave.

"Keep it, you look good in it."


	6. Chapter 6

**alrighty, back in the writing grind. the last chapter wasn't my favorite to write, just some filler so we can actually get to the good rowaelin content xd. as always, reviews always appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: Sarah J. Maas owns all characters.**

Saturday rolled around fast. Good or bad, Rowan couldn't say. He hadn't exactly wanted to go the party in the first place, but Sellene had insisted he go because she wanted him to "meet some of her friends" or some shit. Probably to set him up. She'd be in for a surprise when he arrived with a date. Or at least, a cover date. _I mean, _Rowan thought. _A cover date's still a date, right?_ God, he'd gotten himself into a mess.

He hadn't seen Aelin since Wednesday at the gym because Thursday classes had been canceled and she hadn't shown up at the gym on Friday due to some errands. At least, that's what she'd texted him. Rowan hadn't been able to stop thinking about her since Wednesday. What if he'd ruined any chance at a decent friendship with her with this date? _Oh well, I guess I'll find out soon._

Rowan glanced in the mirror one last time, checking his reflection. He'd opted for black ripped jeans and a halfway buttoned up flannel, sleeves rolled up. He knew his styling of the flannel showed off certain assets of his that girls swooned over all the time, but he'd never really tried to up-play them. Until now. Since when'd he cared about his appearance? Oh, right. Since the firey and unpredictible Aelin Galathynius came into his life. He wondered what she'd decided to wear. Probably something attention-catching. She seemed like the type to.

* * *

Rowan had been right.

"Not something you expected?" Aelin smirked, walking towards where he'd stopped his motorcycle in front of the freshmen building. She'd come sauntering down the stairs wearing a tight red dress that barely hit her mid-thigh. It accentuated all her curves, with the plunging neckline and tight waistband. The matching red heels she wore gave her an extra few inches, although she still was not even close to reaching Rowan's height. Aelin had done her golden locks up in a messy bun, the shorter strands framing her tanned face. She looked... _wow. _Not to mention the oversized jacket she'd pulled over herself. Rowan's own jacket.

"Not exactly," Rowan finally found his voice again. "With that scrap of fabric you call a dress, guys will be throwing themselves at you all night long."

"Good thing I have you, then, isn't it?" Aelin's arms circled around his stomach as she kicked one leg over the motorcycle. Thank god she couldn't see Rowan's face, or she would have witnessed the blush that he fought hard to keep from appearing. He sped them through the streets, winding around the familiar path to his cousin's apartment. Sellene was a year older than Rowan, but they were still pretty close. He considered her one of his more favored cousins. When they arrived, Rowan pulled them into a screeching halt. They'd parked around the corner of the apartment. Aelin slid over the side of the motorcycle, pulling his jacket tightly around her. Rowan smirked to himself at the sight. Aelin, seeing his smirk, scowled.

"What," she demanded, falling into step with him as they walked to the apartment. Music and lights could be heard and seen through the windows.

"Nothing much," Rowan stated. Then added: "My _date _seems to have real skill in picking out jackets, though, don't you think?"

"Well," Aelin retorted, dropping a wink. "I've been told that I look good in it." Rowan snorted, earning a grin from Aelin.

"Yo Whitethorn," a voice called out once they'd reached the apartment. Rowan recognized the voice immediately.

"Fen," he greeted back.

"Is this who I think it is?" Fen had turned to Aelin, looking her up and down. Aelin, to her credit, didn't seem to be affected, only smirked.

"Oh yes," she drawled, "We've met before. Or more accurately, you were staring at my ass." Rowan let out a laugh, recalling the first day Aelin had arrived at Rifthold. A slight blush tinted Fen's face.

"Well," Fen tried to divert the conversation. "What's a pretty girl like you doing with the dark, brooding Rowan?" Rowan rolled his eyes.

"The _dark, brooding Rowan_ happens to be my date." Fen gave an impressed whistle, quirking an eyebrow at his friend. Rowan quickly steered Aelin away to avoid more questions from Fen.

"Nice place," Aelin commented, looking around the room. "So where is this cousin of yours?" Just then, a voice, half-muted by the blasted music shrieked, "Rowan!" He grinned as his cousin hurdled into his side, wrapping her arms around his middle. Rowan ruffled her hair, something he knew Sellene had always hated because although she was older, Rowan had been taller than her since fourth grade.

"Speaking of the devil," he muttered when she'd finally detached herself. Sellene had always liked physical contact more than Rowan.

"How's it been, Row—" Sellene cut herself off when she spotted Aelin. "Who's this?"

"Aelin Galathynius." The two girls eyed each other.

"Sellene," Rowan found his cousin raising a brow at him. "This is—she's my... date." He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks as Sellene squealed, enveloping Aelin in one of her bone crushing hugs. Aelin squeezed her back, laughing a bit.

"In that case," Sellene rambled. "You're totally welcome anytime. I've been trying to set him up for ages. Well, I mean, I guess he _did _have a girlfriend at the time, but we all knew they were gonna break up anyways. So when did you two get togeth—"

"She's not my girlfriend," Rowan rolled his eyes. "It's just a cover date so Remelle would stop bothering me." Sellene winced at the mention of Remelle.

"I wasn't going to invite her," his cousin defended. "But one of the sorority girls told her about the party before I could say not to."

"Let's hope we don't run into her tonight," Rowan muttered. Aelin nodded her agreement.

"Well I hope you two have fun regardless," Sellene said. "Feel free to call me any time, Aelin. Rowan has my number."

"As long as you're not as much a bore as he is," Aelin jabbed a thumb in Rowan's direction, earning a laugh from Sellene.

"I suppose you two could bond over pissing me off," Rowan grumbled. Some of the party girls started caling Sellene over for shots.

"I better get going then," his cousin said as a smirk played over her lips. "That jacket really suits you." Sellene's eyes flicked from Aelin to Rowan, no doubt recognizing it as his. Before Aelin or Rowan himself could start protesting, his cousin had already snuck back into the crowd.

"Too late to take the jacket back, huh?"

"The moment you handed it to me," Aelin pulled said jacket tighter around herself. "It was _long _gone." Rowan snorted.

"Drinks?" He offered, nudging her slightly.

"Lord yes," Aelin reponded. "I was wondering when you'd ask." Rowan grinned at her before slipping off. He saw quite a few familiar faces in the thrum of people, nodding to some. Most people knew him by association with Sellene. Rowam had grabbed them both drinks when he felt someone wrapping their arms around him.

"I found you," Remelle giggled, reeking heavily of perfume. Rowan resisted the urge to gag. He'd elbowed out of her grasp, though she still lingered. Remelle made yet another move, pulling herself flush up against Rowan and lazily tracing patterns across his chest.

"I have somewhere I need to be," Rowan snarled, making to shove her aside. But before he could, a new presence appeared from behind. Aelin. She placed a light but not unnoticed hand on his bicep.

"Is that for me?" She leaned in closer to him, motioning to one of the cups in his hands. He grinned at her in appreciation, handing her one of the drinks. Remelle was fuming.

"Let me know when you get bored of _her_," Remelle spat before storming off. Now untangling herself from him, Aelin laughed uncontrollably. He smirked, raising his cup to hers.

"To fake dates."

* * *

The rest of the night was a vague memory of talking to people and more drinking. Aelin had shucked off Rowan's jacket somewhere in the middle due to the heat. The jacket had been placed in one of Sellene's spare rooms to keep from having to hold it. Aelin now danced in only that short skimpy dress of hers, keeping to the beat. She smirked and waved him over when she spotted Rowan eyeing her from where he was leaning against a wall. Rowan pushed off the wall into the crowd of dancers, although not before rolling his eyes.

"You're no fun," Aelin pouted when he'd reached her. "And aren't you hot in this?" She'd clasped one of her hands on his shoulder, the other on his chest. She now flicked open the few buttons remaining closed, revealing his toned and muscled abs. The alcohol had definitely gotten to her. Rowan had refrained himself from having too many drinks. He had to keep an eye on Aelin and be sober enough to take her home.

"Dance with me," she whispered, eyes half-lidded, no doubt tired from all her previous activities. Rowan swayed with her, Aelin placing his hands on her waist. Up close, the tight dress was even more revealing, driving him crazy. Aelin had wrapped both her arms around Rowan, letting her head rest against his chest. Rowan, sensing her tiredness, hitched one arm under her legs, picking her up bridal style. Grabbing the jacket an dtheir other belongings from the spare room, he carried her towards his motorcycle.

"Cold," Aelin murmured in her sleep. Rowan draped the jacket around her shoulders, sitting her up in front of him on the seat. Aelin let her head once again rest up against his chest before dozing off again. And maybe it was the high of the night, or the fact that Aelin was wearing those clothes but Rowan made the split-second decision and drove them both back to his place.

_Only because you don't want to wake her or her roommate up,_ Rowan told himself over and over. But some part of him knew that wasn't the only reason.


	7. Chapter 7

**sry i havent updated in so long, the trimesters just abt to end so i had a lot of projects and tests to prep for. thx to everyone that have been reviewing:) lmk if theres anything or anyone that i should add into the story.**

**disclaimer: all characters owned by Sarah J. Maas**

Aelin loved Lysandra's cooking enough to make a point to wake up to it every morning. But as she awoke, she definitely did not smell her best friend's luxurious cooking. For one, Aelin's head pounded enough that she wondered whether someone had knocked her out in the middle of the night and dragged her to some creepy cabin deep in the woods. Although, the sheets and blanket were soft and warm, not exactly hostage material. Groaning, Aelin sat up, looking down at herself. She wore a tight red dress, slightly riding up from her sleeping position. Red dress... the party. All of Aelin's thoughts swarmed her. Last night had been the party. Aelin couldn't quite remember what had happened after the first few shots. She sat up abruptly, the overwhelming scent of pine amd snow suddenly smacking her in the face.

"Had a good sleep, princess?" A voice from her left asked huskily. She flinched, the alcohol of the previous night making her disoriented. Aelin turned to see Rowan standing up from where he had been sprawled on an armchair. She fought to keep down her raging blush as she took notice of him being shirtless and wearing jeans that hung low on his hips.

"Is this... your place?" Aelin took in her suroundings. The minimalistic feel of the apartment, only a couple furniture pieces with a few photographs taped to the wall. Most featured the same group of teenage boys, Rowan being one of them, as well as Fenrys, who she could recognize standing next to what appeared to be his twin brother.

"Yeah," Rowan plopped down at the foot of the bed, handing Aelin her phone before staring at the ceiling. "Someone's been texting you since 6am." Aelin quickly skimming through all her text notifications. All from Lysandra, asking where she was. She rolled her eyes inwardly, tossing the phone aside before lying down next to Rowan.

"Thanks for taking me back," she mumbled into the soft blankets. Aelin lifted her head to find those piercing green eyes pinned to her.

"You certainly know how to party," Rowan commented, smirking.

"Nothing... happened, right?" Aelin was probably burning bright red.

"No," he responded. "Nothing happened. I took you back here because I realized we couldn't get into your apartment. I let you have the bed to yourself and everything." Rowan gestured to the armchair, where he had previously been sleeping on instead of his bed.

"How sweet," Aelin murmured, sleep almost taking over. Almost. Her phone gave a _ding!, _alerting her of a new text. Aelin groaned, snatching up her phone again.

Lys: Get your ass back over here

Then a second text, immediately after.

Lys: NOW

Aelin winced, then lightly punched Rowan's side, earning a glare from him.

"Any chance you could take me back right now?" She asked, already expecting his eye roll.

"Would it be rude to make you walk back by yourself?" This time, Aelin's punch wasn't nearly as light.

* * *

Aelin fumbled around her purse as Rowan stopped in front of the freshmen dorms building. She finally located her keys and fished them out. Aelin swung her leg over the motorcycle, wrapping Rowan's jacket tightly around herself due to the cold.

"See you Monday for class?" Rowan asked.

"Can't get enough of me, can you?" Aelin replied with a smirk.

"Whatever," He grumbled. "We should probably meet up soon, anyways. Project presentation's on Thursday." Aelin nodded her agreement. Just as she was about to turn to walk up the stairs, she stopped herself.

"Actually," she spoke before she could stop herself. "Would do want to—I dunno, come in?" At Rowan's raised eyebrows, she immediately regretted the invitation.

"I mean you don't have to—I just thought, I've been to yours already, so you might want to—" Aelin's half-assed attempt at a cover up was mercifully interrupted.

"Sure," Rowan said, already killing the engine and swinging himself over the side of his motorcycle. "Wouldn't want to fluster you even more, would I?" Aelin scowled at that, not bothering to wait up for Rowan as she climbed up the stairs. His long legs could keep up, anyways.

"Lys should be here," Aelin muttered as Rowan caught up. "She's been dying to meet you, by the way."

"Aw, look at you," he cooed. "Can't stop talking about me to everyone, can you?" Aelin elbowed him in the ribs. They'd reached the doors, where Aelin jammed her keys into the keyhole. As soon as she shouldered open the door, her best friend appeared in front of her.

"Where in god's name have you been all nigh—" Lysandra cut herself off upon seeing Rowan. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!"

"What the hell is going on—" Aelin was being practically shoved out of the room by her best friend.

"Aedion," Lysandra said urgently. "He's here. Right now—" At that precise moment, Aedion walked into the room. Lysandra attempted to get Aelin all the way out of the room, but by the time she'd realized what her best friend was doing, her cousin had already seen her.

"Aelin," Aeidon's lips split into a grin, arms open and waiting for a hug. "How's my little cousin—" He was stopped mid-sentence as Rowan stepped into the room as well. Aelin chose this moment to distract her cousin with accepting his bear hug. Aedion wasn't known for having the best temper.

"I'm doing absolutely _fantastic_," Aelin gave a slight nudge towards Lysandra. "Besides your girlfriend over here complaining about you. All. The. Freaking. Time." She could usually cool her cousin's raging temper with jokes and witty comebacks, but he clearly didn't seem to be in the joking mood.

"Who the hell is he?" Aedion practically shouted, already stepping away from Aelin and towards Rowan. "I came here last night to find you gone, and then this morning you finally show up with some random douche!"

"I could ask you the same thing," Rowan growled back. "No one asked you to show up here and start acting like you own Aelin!"

"Well I'm not just some random ass pervert off the streets—" Aedion was cut off before he could finish his sentence.

"Both of you need to SHUT THE HELL UP!" The neighbors could probably hear Aelin's yelling. "And for the record, dear cousin, _Rowan_ isn't some random douche I found off the streets. He's my classmate, and, and—friend."

"Just friends, huh?" Her cousin snarled.

"Oh, grow up, would you?" Aelin slammed her hands onto the table, shaking it slightly. "You haven't seen me in months, you don't know what's going on in my life. So. Stop. Acting. Like. You. Do." With that she spun on her heal, dragging a still fuming Rowan with her towards the door. Aelin muttered something to Lysandra along the lines of: "Text me when your overprotective boyfriend decides to not act like a total asshole."

Aelin and Rowan had already made it out the door before anyone could say anything else.

"Sorry about... him," Aelin took a deep breath. "Aedion—I love my cousin. He just gets a little overprotective sometimes."

"A little?" Rowan snorted, receiving an eye roll from Aelin.

"Whatever," she grumbled. "I plan on going back in a bit to... resolve things, though. You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"I'm coming," he responded "I don't exactly like the idea of you going back and facing him alone."

"Ever the charming gentleman," Aelin cooed, giving Rowan a slight peck on the cheek. They both blushed, most likely remembering the first time she'd done it.

"So," Rowan cleared his throat. "You want me to take you for a ride around town for now?"

"That'd be perfect."

"Alright princess," Rowan said. They had reached his motorcycle, which he'd already swung himself onto. "Climb aboard."

"You really need to stop calling me that," Aelin scolded, even as she let out a slight laugh, swinging one leg over the ride. She could feel Rowan's familiar presence and warmth pressed up against her as she wrapped her arms tightly around his muscled stomach. Rowan gripped the handlebars and sped them off immediately.

"Any place in mind?" He asked.

"Oh, I might have a place in mind."


End file.
